Surface coatings can be used to impart articles with desirable properties that are not possessed by the articles themselves or not possessed in a sufficient degree. For example, there are myriad applications for which it would be desirable to use electrically conductive and/or thermally conductive components having good physical properties. Though there are coatings and inks, and other surface treatments (such as metallization) available to impart conductivity to articles, they typically provide only one level of conductivity when used on a given substrate. In order to obtain more than one level of conductivity, it is often necessary to apply several layers or an ink or coating or use multiple different products. It would be desirable in many applications (including many printed electronics) to obtain a method whereby one could obtain a coated/printed article having different conductivity levels in different parts of the article, particularly if it did not require that the article be coated/printed with multiple inks or coatings.